Batts Builders, LLC

What do we have to live in to be green ?

What does a house have to look like to be energy efficient , healthy, comfortable , and Green we ask.  Well here are my thoughts on this.  I think that any home can be all of those things and the way that we get there is using the KISS theory.  I know that you have heard of it before  ( Keep it simple stupid) . I think that we are trying to make so many of these options more complicated than they have to be or need to be. My thoughts are if we build the main shell or as they say in the energy efficient industry the Envelope as well insulated as we can afford in the beginning the better off we will be in the future .  It is not that complicated If you know what you are doing and where what goes and when to put it there. Basically what that means is that you should be working with someone that has taken the initiative to get training in how the house works as a system. Be cause if we do these procedure without doing them properly we will , again We Will have problems and more of them than we have today in the building of home to code.

Here are some thoughts for you to think before you build a new home or remodel another one

• Look at passive solar when possible on new homes or additions
• Build the house shell as energy efficient as possible. You can not go back and do this a a latter time.
• Look at the placement of your windows, It is best if possible to minimize the size and number of windows on your east and west sides.
• A closed crawlspace may just right for you. It will make your floors warmer,heating system work less (if it is in the crawlspace), help to reduce moisture issues,keep animals out of your crawlspace.
• Try to get heating and cooling systems inside the heated space (inside the envelope)
• Try to get the hot water heater inside the heated space too.
• Look at framing the home or addition using 2×6’s (you can use 2×6’s on 24″ on center for close to the same cost of 2×4’s 16″ on center.
• Adding a layer of  rigid insulation on the exterior will help with a thermal break  and moisture barrier at the same time.

This is just a few of the options to think about while building a new home or adding on.

Good luck and if there are any question let me know.